quote:Originally posted by somoene on another board:[QB]The whole point is, IS THIS APPROPRIATE CURRICULUM FOR OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS?

I think NOT![/QB]

There is no right answer to that question, because the question, in and of itself, is wrong.

The problem is that the very existence of public schools is wrong, for many reasons: 1) public schools steal money (in tax dollars) from people who don't have children, while simultaneously giving a tax break to people with children (write offs for "dependents"). But theft is not the main reason it's wrong.

The main reason is 2) because the existence of public schools is a violation of Freedom of Speech.

To understand this, you have to understand that freedom of "speech" is really the freedom of independent thought first, and only second the freedom to communicate it to others. For example, years ago some idiots tried to make a law that said that students would be required to recite the Pledge of Allegiance in schools. However, this would be against the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses who believe that their allegiance belongs only to God and therefore can never be pledged to the United States of America. Fortunately, the Supreme Court ruled in Minersville School District v. Gobitis that to force someone to take the Pledge of Allegiance is a violation of the Freedom of Speech in that it compels a person to state that which is not in their own mind - a violation as severe as eliminating one's right to speak what is in one's mind (that's because the student is forced, by law, to attend school, and therefore is forced by law to take the pledge while there).

Now this should shed light on why public schools in general are a violation of the Freedom of Speech. Let's suppose that you're a fundamental Christian and you're raising your kids as such. You have a standard of moral values and (alleged) facts which you want instilled in your children; such as: 1) You believe that the historical account of the creation of the universe and human history is correct in the bible (no big bang, no evolution, etc.), 2) You believe that homosexuality is wrong, it's always wrong, and that no one is "born a homosexual", it's just a very sick choice that some people make, 3) it is always wrong to lie or otherwise express a known inaccuracy; that's just three examples, but the list could be endless.

Now the State forces you to send your kids to school where they are going to be taught a historical account of the universe with which you disagree, and a sense of moral conduct with which you disagree. And, not only that, but your kids, who may have it in their minds that everything on their biology exam is wrong - because they, like you, believe in the historical account of the bible - are forced to "lie" on the exam, or be required by law to attend school and take the exam over and over and over until they conform and put down the "right" answers.

It should be clear now exactly what is going on with public schools: Public schools are the State's primary mechanism to have the State's moral values imposed upon the minds of your children, rather than your own. It's the primary mechanism that the country (any country) has of subordinating the mind of the individual to the values of the State. It's the ultimate tool of the "It takes a villiage" victimizers of the world - they want the villiage raising your kid, not you.

Now, back to your question: you've asked, "Is this appropriate curriculum for our public schools?" The answer depends upon another question: Appropriate according to whom? Your answer may be that it isn't, but on many issues there are plenty of people who will disagree - and they're proud of their progressiveness and the way that they're able to "save your children" by teaching those values to them, rather than allowing them to be stuck with your values.

Now without public schools, this would be an easy issue. You'd choose a school that teaches the values that you want taught to your children, and if you could afford that particular school, you'd send them to it (and if you couldn't afford it, well - guess what - neither you, nor your kids, deserve the free ride that you're getting now - it's absolutely wrong in every possible sense that I have to get out of bed and go to work to earn money to send your little brats to school, and if you support stealing my money for this and calling it taxes, you're no better than any other sticky fingered crook on the planet [erm...by "you" I'm not referring to anyone specifically, but to whomever may be reading this in general, and, for that matter, those who are not reading]).

But, the bottom line is that the crooks of the world - who want their children educated at the primary expense of those who do not have children - have set up a system called "public schools" with which they may send children to have the State impose its values upon the little tykes. And what that means, in a nutshell, is that the mob rules, and not any real sense of right and wrong - hence there's no right and wrong answer to the above question. The question of, "What, morally, should be taught in public schools?" is much like the the question, "What is, morally, the right way to murder an innocent person?" Clearly, there IS no right way to murder an innocent person, and there is no right choice of teaching to be imposed, against the wills of the parents, upon the minds of children.

In the end, then, what is to be taught in public schools is simply a major fight - where right is not the standard, but political power is - to decide what will be forced into the minds of helpless children.

Gladrial

posted 12-21-2001 01:07 PM PT (US)
But without some kind of public schools where would we be? There needs to be free education to all children ,but I think morals are better taught at home. It is important to understand that no matter your beliefs, there are others else who believe something different, just as strongly as you. It is this very diversity that is created in a public school environment. People learn to accept one another for who they are. While I sit here and prefer for my daughter to attend the finest private schools, I do not wish bad on the public schools because education is the only way our country can stay on top in the fields of science and technology. I was a kid without anything but public school and look at me now. So environment is only part of it and the other part is attitude. I know the taxes seem expensive but without educating people, they become stupid and cost us even more in the long run ,because we end up building prisons for them. You are getting off cheap.